Seat for reducing the risk of spinal injuries

Abstract

A seat is provided having a layer of high impact energy absorbing material and a sacral well provided therethrough. The seat may form a bottom portion of a vehicle seat that may further include a back support portion extending upwardly for supporting the rearward side of a seated individual. The back support may include a lower section for supporting the thorax and lower back, and an upper section. There may be one or more overlying sections positionable for supporting and restraining rearward movement of an individual.

I claim: 
     
       1. A seat for supporting an individual when seated thereupon, formed of one or more layers of a high impact energy absorbing material having a depressed sacral wall at least 3.0 inches wide by at least 4.0 inches long effective for relieving forces to the coccyx or sacrum of the individual and redirecting those forces to the sacro-iliac joint or iliums of the individual upon impact wherein the sacral well is defined by a wall and wherein the wall is provided at an angle of from 1 degree to 45 degrees relative to vertical, and wherein the high impact energy absorbing material is effective to absorb at least 200 g of force in 5 msec and prevent the sacrum from touching a surface beneath the seat and/or prevent the pelvis from bottoming out. 
     
     
       2. The seat according to  claim 1  suitable for positioning or resting on a seat pan of a vehicle seat. 
     
     
       3. The seat according to  claim 1  wherein the sacral well is defined by a void, hole or aperture of a suitable size and shape to accommodate the coccyx or anus of the individual when seated upon the seat to thereby prevent said sacrum from touching a surface beneath the seat and/or prevent the pelvis from bottoming out. 
     
     
       4. The seat according to  claim 1  formed of at least two layers of a high impact energy absorbing material. 
     
     
       5. The seat according to  claim 1  effective to reduce blast force from an impact and effective to redirect that blast force away from the spine thereby reducing the incidence of vertebral fracture. 
     
     
       6. The seat according to  claim 1  wherein the high impact energy absorbing material comprises a semi-solid shear-thickening viscoelastic polymer or a foam. 
     
     
       7. The seat according to  claim 6  wherein the foam has a density of at least about 5.0 lbs/cubic foot. 
     
     
       8. A vehicle seat comprising:
 (a) a bottom seat portion for supporting an individual when seated thereupon, the bottom seat portion formed of one or more layers of a high impact energy absorbing material having a depressed sacral well at least 3.0 inches wide by at least 4.0 inches long effective for relieving forces to the coccyx or sacrum of the individual and redirecting those forces to the sacro-iliac joint or iliums of the individual upon impact, wherein the sacral well is defined by a wall and wherein the wall is provided at an angle of from 1 degree to 45 degrees relative to vertical, and wherein the high impact energy absorbing material is effective to absorb at least 200 g of force in 5 msec and prevent the sacrum from touching a surface beneath the seat and/or preventing the pelvis from bottoming out; 
 (b) a back support portion extending upwardly for supporting the rearward side of the seated individual. 
 
     
     
       9. The vehicle seat according to  claim 8  wherein the sacral well is defined by a void, hole or aperture of a suitable size and shape to accommodate the coccyx or anus of the individual when seated upon the seat. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle seat according to  claim 8  wherein the bottom seat portion is formed of at least two layers of a high impact energy absorbing material. 
     
     
       11. The vehicle seat according to  claim 8  effective to reduce blast force from an impact and effective to redirect that blast force away from the spine thereby reducing an incidence of vertebral fracture. 
     
     
       12. The vehicle seat according to  claim 8  wherein the bottom seat portion is positioned or rests on a seat pan of the vehicle seat. 
     
     
       13. The vehicle seat according to  claim 8  wherein the high impact energy absorbing material comprises a semi-solid shear-thickening viscoelastic polymer or a foam. 
     
     
       14. The vehicle seat according to  claim 13  wherein the foam has a density of at least about 5.0 lbs/cubic foot. 
     
     
       15. The vehicle seat according to  claim 8  wherein the back support portion comprises a lower section for contacting and supporting the thorax and lower back of the individual, and upper and lower overlying sections for being respectively positionable for restraining the head and neck region of the individual from rearward acceleration. 
     
     
       16. The vehicle seat according to  claim 15  wherein the overlying sections each have a surface for contacting the individual that is independently moveable toward and away from the individual. 
     
     
       17. The vehicle seat according to  claim 15  further comprising a first motor means for moving the upper and the lower of the overlying sections into the positions for respectively restraining rearward acceleration of the head and neck region of the individual. 
     
     
       18. The vehicle seat according to  claim 17  further comprising a sensor at each overlying section connected to respectively sense the proximity of an adjacent head and neck region of the individual and actuate the first motor means to move the overlying sections into positions for restraining rearward acceleration of the head and neck region of the individual. 
     
     
       19. The vehicle seat according to  claim 15  further comprising a pair of upper swivelable side portions flanking the sides of the upper and lower overlying sections. 
     
     
       20. The vehicle seat according to  claim 19  wherein the upper swivelable side portions contain an inner lining of a high impact energy absorbing material. 
     
     
       21. The vehicle seat according to  claim 19  further comprising second motor means for swiveling each upper swivelable side portion into at least indirect contact against the sides of the face and the ears of the individual. 
     
     
       22. The vehicle seat according to  claim 21  further comprising a sensor at each upper swivelable side portion connected to sense the proximity of the sides of the face of the individual and actuate the second motor means to move the upper swivelable side portions into at least indirect contact with the sides of the face of the individual.